West Pottsgrove Pool's Fate Looms Large in 2019

It's the middle of winter, so obviously, it's time to talk about the township's swimming pool.

As the township commissioners met for the first time in 2019, Commissioners Chairman Steve Miller announced it's time for some kind of resolution regarding the township's pool.

It's been three years since the pool was open for a full season. Previous attempts to hire an outside agency or company to run the pool, located on Anthony Wayne Drive, have resulted either in the pool being closed halfway through the season, or the pool not opening at all.

"We can't have it just sitting there, or we're going to have mechanical problems eventually," Miller said.

He appointed Commissioners Pete LaRosa and Mark Green to head up a committee to make a final determination on the facility, formerly the private Colonial Pool, which the township purchased in 2010 after the club could not pay its property tax bill.

"I agree 100 percent," said LaRosa, who has championed the pool's cause since the township bought it and brought in at least one vendor who operated it for half a season.

"We've got to find someone to open it, or do something else with it," LaRosa said.

Miller said an invitation for the public to offer suggestions should be posted on the township's website.

Commissioner Charles Valentine said perhaps the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation should be approached about playing a role as well.

Operated since 1968 as a private, nonprofit community pool, the Colonial fell behind on its tax payments and finally fell victim to a combination of age, a slow economy and more homes with their own pools in their backyards.

The township paid $71,000 in back taxes and unpaid bills to take over the pool in 2010.

The township also put as least $250,000 into refurbishing the pool facility by the time it re-opened in August, 2011.

New Solicitor, Same Manager

In other township business, the commissioners made a number of appointments, including Jamie Ottaviano of Yergey,m Daylor, Allebach, Scheffey and Picardi as its new solicitor, replacing Charles Bresnan, who had served in the post since 2016.

No reason was given for the change.

One thing that remained the same is the township manager, Craig Lloyd, who was given a new two-year contract by a unanimous vote last night.

There is no pay increase in the contract's terms. Lloyd, who said he is a township resident and wants to keep costs down, will continue to be paid $97,000 a year.

And with that, here are the Tweets from last night's 25-minute meeting.

West Pottsgrove Pool's Fate Looms in 2019

$1.3M From Reserves Balances W. Pottsgrove Budget

Photo by Evan Brandt

From left, West Pottsgrove Police officer Robert Radswallas, Det. Tim Roeder and Chief Matthew Stofflet.

Two West Pottsgrove Police officers and their chief were recognized Wednesday night by the Montgomery County Crisis Team for the role they played as part of the Western Montgomery SWAT team that dealt with a five-hour stand-off with an armed subject in Limerick in January in which no one was hurt.

Officers from each municipality involved in the SWAT team have been recognized at their respective municipal meetings throughout the year.

Police were recognized in another way Wednesday night, when the reading of the proposed $3,069,414 budget for 2018 included an $105,842 increase in the police budget, which now stands at $1,455,531, according to Township Manager Craig Lloyd.

An 18 percent increase in heath insurance costs for the coming year means a hike of $57,000, $36,000 of which is attributable to the police department.

Other costs, which Police Chief Matthew Stofflet chalked up to one new police cruiser and "the increasing cost of operations," includes a 2.5 percent raise for police personnel.

That comes on top of a 2.5 percent increase least year and a 3.5 percent coming in 2019, according to Lloyd.

With only $450,000 coming in from real estate taxes and another $448,000 from other taxes, balancing the budget without a tax increase will require pulling $1,367,079 from the reserves built up from host fees paid over years from the operation of the Pottstown Landfill which, despite the name, was never located in Pottstown proper.

This year's withdrawal is $80,000 than the $1.4 million required last year to balance the 2017 budget.

It must be nice to have a huge bank account created by imposing environmental risks on your neighbors.

One of these days, West Pottsgrove may have to learn to live within its means.

Here are the Tweets from last night's meeting.

W. Pottsgrove Pool Opening is Community Day Too

West Pottsgrove Township’s annual community day will take place at the township pool on Saturday, June 13, the same day the pool opens for the season.

The pool is located at 953 Von Steuben Dr.

The event, held on June 14 in case it rains, will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. with only $3 admission to the pool and hot dogs, burgers and drinks all costing only $1.

The event will feature fire and police department displays; ice creams, drinks, games for kids, D.J. entertainment all day and the performance by a community band from 4 to 5 p.m.

There will also be a community flea market and yard sale, and anyone can bring a table and sell their own wares for a $5 donation.

For more information, call the township at 610-323-7717.